Our View... Wanaka, New Zealand

Bits and pieces... Wanaka, NZ

Bob drove over to Queenstown (a little over an hour) to golf at Jack's Point golf course. (This was on his bucket list of "must play" New Zealand golf courses.) He's also golfed at Arrowtown, but he spends most of his golf days on the Wanaka course. He's always hooked up with a group, so he's meeting new people each time. The New Zealanders are very friendly, open and outgoing. My view is that living on a island and being world travelers makes them so open to strangers.

Last week, when I went to pick him up at Arrowtown, he told me that we were invited to lunch. He had golfed with a doctor and his wife. They had us over to their gorgeous home on Lake Hayes for lunch. Isn't it great that someone would invite complete strangers into their home for lunch? We had a wonderful conversation. They've traveled all over the world. They've skied all the ski areas in Colorado and Utah. It was a pleasure to meet them.

We do our wash at Julie and Peter's house. They so graciously told us to use their washer. We hang our clothes on the clothes line as do all New Zealanders. No one would think of using a dryer when you can use the glorious sunshine to dry your clothes.

All windows in homes here open with no screens. Every once in awhile a lone fly might come in, but there are not any bothersome bugs. (Unlike Milford Sound and other places on the west coast where you endure sand flies.)

We were going to buy 2 used bikes, but Julie and Peter told us to use their mountain bikes while they are at work. Yippie! Although there are some nice road biking areas here, mountain biking tracks are everywhere and take lead us to scenic spots. We ride right from the house and have access to tracks just down the road. Most of the tracks end up connecting somehow. Although we have a map, we love to just go on a track and see where it goes. Retirement is great--- no schedules, no routines, no "have tos"------ we love it!

That's our view!